Why Health and Safety E-Learning Training is Important

Overview

Looking holistically at the various industries and sectors in South Africa, it can be noted that there are numerous accidents in which employees are injured, often critical, and although there are unforeseen circumstances, there are exceptions where it could be avoided.

Especially where the provision of effective training plays a key factor in ensuring that employees are skilled to perform certain tasks along with ensuring Health and Safety compliance throughout an organisation and active managing of risks.

The prevention of Health and Safety related incidents and ensuring that employees are provided with a safe and healthy environment is the first step as it is vital for the success of a business as employees are the most valuable asset of any organization.

When organizations provide effective Health and Safety information and training it helps an organization to:

• Prevent injuries and illness which may arise from the tasks that employees perform.
• Develop a Health and Safety culture which allows safe and healthy work practices become second nature and which can be extended to outside the workplace.
• Identify how Health and Safety can be managed more effectively, and.
• Fulfill the legal duty imposed on the organization pertaining to the protection of the Health and Safety of employees.

What is training and what does it entail?

The main purpose behind training and the provision thereof is to teach employees how a certain task must be done. It also serves to tell employees how a task should not be done and to provide employees with information pertaining to their tasks.

Training goes further than the classroom courses and certificates, it often provides insights that go beyond the workplace, and relevance pertaining to everyday life in ensuring Health and Safety.

Despite the industry and organization, there are concerns with levels of competence and the high expectation pertaining to newly trained or qualified employees.

Individuals are more employable and valued based on their experience which they gain from on-the-job training and consolidation along with non-formal training in the form of Continuous Professional Development, otherwise known as CPD.

CPD is the term used in the description of learning activities that professionals engage in to develop as well as enhance their abilities. CPD enables learning to become both conscious and proactive instead of passive and reactive.

When considering that training may often be reactive and a tedious task where there is little innovation, it greatly affects the effectiveness of training and subsequently the Health and Safety compliance in the workplace.

Without CPD, knowledge which is gained through innovation and work experience will be unable to spread throughout the organization and the industry.

CPD is vital to employees, the organization, and the client, and by managing it effectively, there are numerous benefits that can be reaped along with increasing profitability and competitiveness.

The motivation of employees plays a crucial role and it affects loyalty and commitment towards the organization and in turn, CPD allows organizations to attract, recruit, and retain skilled employees.

What is the purpose and benefit of effective Health and Safety training?

Effective Health and Safety training provide an organisation with the following benefits:

• It contributes towards ensuring that employees are competent in both Health and Safety whether it is task-specific or general Health and Safety.
• It can help the organization avoid the distress associated with accidents and illness causes.
• It can help organizations avoid the costs involved with accidents and occupational health.
• It can provide employees with a sense of purpose and motivation towards building a Health and Safety Culture.
• It can help create a safe working environment in which employees can flourish and reach their full potential which inadvertently increases productivity and profitability of the business and more.

Why is SafetyWallet’s training solutions, particularly E-Learning, important to organizations?

SafetyWallet already has thousands of members across numerous industries in assisting and supporting organizations in their journey to become fully Health and Safety compliant.

Not only does assistance and support help such organizations, but members are generously rewarded for their Health and Safety compliance every step of the way.

SafetyWallet assists and supports organizations by focussing on four vital components of the Health and Safety in both industry and commerce namely:

• Health and Safety Training
• The establishment and maintenance of a Health and Safety programme which can either be self-directed or done through the outsourcing of Health and Safety Services.
• Health and Safety Compliance Grading Audits which help to identify the current compliance with Health and Safety and works to provide feedback and suggestions for further improvements.
• Member Advertising which helps to market organizations and boost their business greatly as a fully Health and Safety compliant organization.

Health and Safety Training

The provision of effective Health and Safety training will dictate the ability with which employees can conduct their tasks more safely and SafetyWallet, in partnership with MAKROSAFE, provides members with the highest quality Health and Safety training.

One of the provisions for training by SafetyWallet accounts for that of E-Learning, which is one of the most effective ways through which training material can be delivered seamlessly to many employees simultaneously.

There are numerous benefits and advantages associated with E-Learning and when considering the support that SafetyWallet offers its members, members can expect the following training solutions from the SafetyWallet platform:

• E-Learning which consists of unlimited E-Learning training with over 41 training courses of which 36 courses are dedicated specifically to Health and Safety.
• Accredited E-Learning consisting of both E-Learning and Formal Assessment on all E-Learning Accredited Training and Learnerships, and more.

The main purpose behind the programme is to drive both Health and Safety compliance with the objective of minimizing of incidents in the workplace and ensure that the organization and employees are protected against criminal and civil liability.

SafetyWallet offers a platform for the management of the Health and Safety Programme and through MAKROSAFE, SafetyWallet ensures that members have the best on-site support through the provision of the following:

• • Handling of Health and Safety matters through the appointment of a dedicated OHS Professional.
  • Monthly newsletters.
  • Weekly legislative updates.
  • Covid-19 support, assistance, and guidance.
  • OHS Online Health and Management System, and more.